


Love and Libraries: In which Vale does not throw Irene out of the bedroom

by CyborgScholar



Category: The Invisible Library - Genevieve Cogman
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, M/M, Multi, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-20 21:25:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17629979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CyborgScholar/pseuds/CyborgScholar
Summary: Peregrine Vale says yes to Irene’s advances and he has more input into the chaos contamination cure. When Kai terminates his apprenticeship and moves in with Vale, the three of them take their relationship a step further.





	1. The tattoo

Irene undid the back of her dress, letting it slip down far enough for Vale to see her tattoo. He didn’t say anything, and she turned her head to catch his reaction. He was staring at her back.

“It’s larger than I imagined,” he said. 

She nodded. Most people in this alternate didn’t have tattoos, at least not in Vale’s class, and though Vale was accustomed to dealing with a variety of people from all classes, tattoos this large were still rare.

“Is it hazardous to the touch?”

“No, not that I know of.”

“Then may I?’ he stretched his hand out, hesitant.”

“Of course.”

His fingers brushed her skin, gentle and warm, almost hot on her back, if that wasn't her imagination. They traced the strokes of her tattoo and she felt the whisper of his breath, which sped up as he leaned closer. 

“It feels like normal skin and scarring.” The bland, calmly delivered phrase contrasted with what she felt as his fingers rested lightly on her back. 

Despite Kai's observations and insistent suggestions, she'd always assumed any attraction between them were entirely one-sided. Maybe she'd been mistaken. 

She turned around, not bothering to refasten her dress, and stepped into his reach, keeping his hand in place on her back. “Vale.”

His eyes widened. “Miss Winters.” She saw the desire in his face.

Before he could say another word she slid her free arm around his neck and leaned down to kiss him. His hand on her back pulled her closer as he returned her kiss. 

She pulled back after a moment, catching her breath. Her dress had slipped down and she pulled it up to a semi-respectable position, not that anything else about this situation would be socially respectable…

“Winters.” Vale sounded far less sure of himself than usual, less so than he had a few moments ago, when he'd revealed his anxieties about his mental state and his family history. 

“Yes, Mister Vale?” She smiled. 

“I don't wish to compromise your honor by keeping you here unless you here. I hold you…” his voice wavered slightly “in great esteem, and would never do anything…”

She interrupted him. “I believe you know by now, that I have feelings for you. If you say you don’t return them, I'll leave and say no more about it. If you do, however, I see no reason why we should not act on a mutual attraction.”

Vale leaned back. “Winters. Irene. I… Are you sure? That this is what you want. That I… that I am what you want.”

“Quite. I’m 37 years old and I damn well know my own mind. May I remind you that I kissed you? 

He smiled, and she saw how tired he was. But there was a sense of hope in his eyes, that hadn't been there when he'd first woken up. 

She reached out her left hand, letting her dress slide down her shoulder. “Peregrine. If you want this to happen between us, by all means, say so.”

“Yes.” He took her hand in his and pulled her closer. 

 

…..


	2. Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after. They tell Vale about the case, Singh stops by to check on Vale (I'm messing with the timeline here), and Kai and Irene head to the Library. Kai smirks at Irene because she finally listened to his suggestion that she hook up with Vale.

Irene, suffice it to say, greatly enjoyed this step in her relationship with Vale. 

She wasn’t sure exactly how much time had passed since she entered the bedroom, but she’d fallen asleep at some point. Vale was still sleeping. She decided to let him rest. He seemed somehow more peaceful than he had… and he needed any rest he could get, between the heroin and the chaos. When she pulled on Vale’s spare dressing gown and made her way to the bathroom, then out into the sitting room, Kai was just waking up, and there was pale sunlight rather than lamplight coming in the windows. Early morning. 

“Irene?” Kai said, yawning. He paused midstretch as he took in her lack of proper attire. 

“Yes, Kai?” She kept from smiling at the startled look on her apprentice’s face. This had been his idea, at least in part. There was no reason for him to look so shocked. And yet he did. 

“...Well?” 

“What?” She sat in the chair opposite from Kai. “We must be on our way. We’ll need Vale’s help, but he’s sleeping and I’d rather not disturb him. He’s been having … difficulty getting enough rest.” She left out any further details. She’d let Vale disclose more if he felt like it. 

Kai grinned. “Right. I imagine neither of you got much sleep last night.” Dragons, in Irene’s still limited experience, seemed entirely free of embarrassment when talking about sex. Or maybe it was just Kai. 

She shrugged. “At any rate, we need to focus on finding Alberich’s location. Zanaya might have given us a clue, but we’ll need to verify anything she says with Library sources. We’ll need all the help we can get, really.” 

Kai nodded. “Zanaya’s not trustworthy, but if you think it’s best…” He didn’t push further, yet, about the previous night. “Should we go to the library then?”

“Yes, I’ll go get dressed. Perhaps a stop by our rooms first…” A knock came at the door, surprising Irene as she stood to go collect her clothing. “You get that, Kai, and I’ll be right back.”

She closed Vale’s bedroom door behind her and heard Kai answer the main door. It was shockingly early for a caller… She hurried to her clothes, left hurriedly on a chair last night. As she dropped Vale’s dressing gown on the floor, she realized that the detective was awake. 

“Good morning, Winters… Irene.” 

“Good morning, Peregrine. Or would you prefer Vale, still?”

He smiled, barely. “Peregrine is fine.”

“Did you sleep well?”

“Somewhat. No nightmares, at least.” 

She finished doing up her dress. “Someone’s at the door. Kai was getting it. Do you want me to see who it is or do you feel well enough to get up?”

He threw the covers off and stood up, only then realizing he’d lost his dressing gown. Irene handed him the one she’d been wearing and he quickly put it on, then went in search of his house shoes. “Anyone who calls this early can certainly tolerate me in my dressing gown.”   
He threw open the bedroom door. Irene hung back, not wanting to reveal she’d been alone with Vale in his bedroom, not to mention his bed, to just anyone. 

Inspector Singh said, “Ah, good morning, Vale. How are you feeling?” 

“Well enough, well enough. And you, Inspector?” 

“I’m well, thank you. I wanted to see how you were, mainly.” 

Vale nodded. “I am better than I was yesterday. Thank you.” 

“I’m glad to hear it. Send word if I can be of any assistance.”

 

“Thank you again, Singh. Likewise. Do let me know if I can help with a case.”

“I will. Good day. And good day, Mr. Strongrock.”

Irene exited the bedroom as soon as the inspector had made his farewell and left. Vale was sitting down, still looking tired, but not nearly as exhausted as he’d seemed previously. “Peregrine, we could use your assistance on a Library case.” Once he’d nodded, she explained the situation with Alberich, including their encounters with Zayana.

Vale put his hands together in thought. “I’ll consider the case and let you know what I make of it. Can I offer you breakfast?”

Irene, glancing at Kai, realized that she was actually rather hungry. “Yes, I think we have time before we must be off to the Library.”

Kai smiled, and Vale rang for the housekeeper and ordered breakfast. As they ate, Irene watched Vale closely for any signs of distress. He seemed all right, but she’d thought he was fine before. And she’d gotten so busy, running around the multiverse, that she had missed the signs of chaos. “Vale, I think there’s one possibility, regarding the … situation we discussed last night.”

He looked up from buttering his muffin. “This… chaos contamination?” 

She nodded. “Would you prefer to keep this private?”

“Yes, but Strongrock can know. I… trust you both.”

“Well, then. Kai, Vale’s been contaminated by chaos ever since our Venetian Adventure.” 

Kai nodded. “And you think you know how to fix it?”

“Perhaps. It’s quite risky. The method I used on myself… the Language.”

 

Vale said, “I wondered if that might work… forgot to ask last night.”

“Again, it might. It worked on me. I’d be hesitant to try it on anyone else. It could… alter your identity, your personality, especially if I make any mistake…” 

“I see. Though, arguably, this contamination is also altering my identity in unpleasant ways.”

“True. But I’d rather give you some time to think about it, and I’d need to be quite careful in my wording. Basically, I’d be telling you who you are, and I’d not want to impose my idea of you over your actual self.”

“I appreciate your caution,” Vale said wryly. “I’ll consider that, along with your case. Perhaps if we discuss the wording ahead of time?”

Irene nodded. “Let’s do that. Consider how you identify, what aspects of your personality are most essential to you as an individual, how you’d describe yourself, for example. We can return after we finish our business at the Library. I’ll look into cures for chaos contamination while we’re there.” She drank her last sip of tea and stood. “Thank you for breakfast.”

Kai stood, frowning at a wrinkle in his trousers, and reached for his hat. “Good day, Vale.”

“Strongrock. I will see you both this evening, then, if not before.”

They left and headed for the Library.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might do a NSFW chapter 1.5 at some point to fill in what actually happened during the night, but I would probably make it a separate work to keep the rating Teen on this.


End file.
